26-1018p Transcript

(0:04) Good evening for those that are here and those that are on the line. (0:13) You know, I didn’t mention this this morning, but it’s interesting. (0:24) I got my lesson finished and sent to Scott so he could fix it and put it in the program.

(0:47) But in the meantime, I don’t think it was yesterday, but I think it was Friday, I was (0:57) listening to the Gospel Broadcasting Network on YouTube, there is a program that they have (1:18) on GBN.org, or GBNTV.org, that is Answering the Errors, and it was quite interesting that (1:38) what I was watching, they were discussing within the lesson, which was out of the Bible (2:01) only, and they had a Greek or Latin phrase that they put in there, but it meant the scriptures (2:15) only, and they were talking about traditions. And then this morning in the Bible class, (2:25) we talked about traditions. Tonight we continue what I started this morning with traditions.

(2:39) Now, this morning we talked about men’s traditions. We took notice of the (2:52) traditions that Pharisees had. But before I go any further, I have two passages I’m going to read (3:06) out of 2 Thessalonians.

The first one is 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 15. (3:21) Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, (3:30) whether by word or epistle. And then in chapter 3 and verse 6, (3:45) that we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (3:52) that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition (4:03) which he received from us.

From us, that means the apostles, with Paul included. (4:17) Now, so not all traditions are bad, even then man-made. It is only when (4:31) it is asserted that whatever it is that is alleged to come from God, and yet it comes from man, (4:47) that is from man, that’s man-made.

But then not all of the traditions that we read (4:58) read in the scriptures that we see are from man. And we find that it says you were taught (5:19) in 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 15. It says you were taught.

(5:32) Now that word, it says by word or epistle. (5:41) Now, and then in verse 15, it says, therefore, it all was told that when you see that word therefore, (6:00) you need to see what came before this. What is he talking about before he (6:10) gets on to this? Now we go back, and we’re going to just speedily, I’m going to, in chapter 1, (6:22) he speaks when Christ appears, especially when he says, since it is chapter 1, verse 6, (6:38) and I’m going to read verse 8. He says, since it is a righteous thing with God to repay (6:47) with tribulation, not to trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us, (6:57) when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (7:05) in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who know not God, and on those who obey not the gospel (7:14) of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He talks about when Christ comes. And then in chapter 2, (7:30) and I’m going to read 1 through 14. Now brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (7:41) and our gathering together to him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in minds or troubled, (7:52) either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.

(8:04) Let no one deceive you by any means, for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first, (8:17) and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself (8:27) above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, (8:38) showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you, (8:48) I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining that he may be revealed in his own (8:59) time, for the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains (9:17) will do so until he is taken out of the way.

And then the lawless one will be revealed, (9:31) whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy the brightness of his coming. (9:41) The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, (9:50) signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, (10:01) because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. (10:10) And for this reason, God will send them strong delusions that they should believe the lie, (10:20) and they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

(10:31) We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, (10:37) beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation, (10:45) through sanctification, [by the Spirit], and believed in the truth, (10:55) through which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. (11:07) Now, let’s notice that what he said before was the thing, was the working (11:22) that the man of sin, that’ll be the Devil, the son of perdition, (11:36) who exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, (11:45) so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (11:54) So we see that, and that’s just exactly what’s happening.

(12:00) We finally, as past the first century, and the second as well, the second and the third, (12:15) and then beginning later from there, we began to see departures (12:24) from the truth, from what is recorded in the scriptures, and I want you to know (12:35) that in that day of time, they really did not have what the apostles and those men that were inspired (12:51) to write. They handed down traditions, (12:59) but there are those things that are written in the scriptures, and (13:12) yet they handed these things down to the churches, especially Paul, when he wrote, (13:21) there are things that he wrote to a certain church, and then he would say, (13:34) let this be read by the church in Laodicea, and he said he wrote a letter to Laodicea, (13:48) and he said, and you read the letter I wrote to them, and the reason for that, (13:57) that he is teaching the same thing to all the churches, and it’s the same. Now, there are (14:09) traditions that he put down.

He said that they, therefore, brethren, stand fast (14:28) and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Our epistle means (14:46) the other apostles who wrote, the other men who, by inspiration of God, and that means (14:57) through the Holy Spirit, wrote, as indicated by Paul, and to Timothy when he said, (15:14) for all scripture is inspired, and the word from which inspired comes from, means God-breathed. (15:27) It comes from God, and they handed down these traditions, but I also want to (15:39) notice in chapter 3 and verse 6, but we command you, brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus (15:51) Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the (16:01) traditions which he received from us.

Now, let’s talk about those traditions that are received (16:16) by Paul and these other apostles. For instance, especially with Paul writing, he wrote (16:32) to the Corinthians that they, when they come together on the first day of the week, (16:47) that they were to lay by and store upon the first day of the week, as God has prospered them. (17:04) And notice that he said, now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given (17:19) orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also.

Notice Paul is telling them (17:31) to do the same thing he instructed the churches of Galatia. So you must do also (17:41) on the first day of the week, that each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may (17:52) prosper, that there be no collections when I come. So it is upon the first day of the week (18:04) that they were to take up the collection.

But he also ordered the churches of Galatia (18:14) to do the same thing. So Paul’s handing down a tradition (18:27) here. But it is one that is to be followed by the church wherever it meets, (18:41) as the collection is to be done on the first day of the week.

(18:48) Now when we were talking about one time this thing about, we discussed it as giving. (19:03) And then the question came up, you may, we can’t give away clothes or food or furniture (19:14) anytime else. But that’s not what Paul’s discussing here.

Paul’s discussing the collection (19:21) of money that, and it could be not waiting, so it could be taken and given to whomever (19:37) needs help. And that’s what that is for, was for. But you know when, (19:48) I’ve seen whenever there’s been a denomination, when they’re holding their so-called revivals, (20:01) no matter what day of the week it was, (20:05) go through the week.

They go through every day of the week. Monday, even through Saturday, (20:17) they would take up a collection. But it’s according to the first day of the week.

(20:30) Now there is another, and this, that we’re going to read in Acts 20, verse 7. (20:54) Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, (21:04) Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. (21:14) But notice it’s on the first day of the week. We notice that they waited there, (21:29) in verse 6. But we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, (21:37) and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.

(21:46) Now the breaking bread can also mean to eat a meal, a common meal. (22:02) But if this was a common meal when they met, and it’s on the first day of the week, (22:14) and this breaking of bread meant a common meal, why did they have to wait for that? (22:24) They could have eaten a common meal any time during the week. They didn’t have to wait (22:30) until the first day of the week.

But on the first day of the week, they broke bread, (22:37) and that was the Lord’s supper. And the thing that people will ask, certainly, you know, (22:53) we’re told that as often as you eat this bread and drink this fruit of the vine, (23:06) for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till he comes. (23:14) Somebody said, well, how often is it? Well, they say on the first day of the week, (23:24) and that’s meaning the Lord’s supper.

Then every week has a first day, (23:37) just like every week had a Sabbath day under the old covenant. (23:46) But they kept, had to keep the Sabbath day, which was the seventh day. (23:57) But when we start getting away from that and wanting to change things, (24:10) and you know, I heard the word change [agents].

The first time I heard that, (24:22) I was thinking at first that it was meaning that you change the order of worship. (24:34) But I found out, according to that article, that those change agents were, (24:43) it wasn’t the order of worship that was in question. It was like adding the instrument (24:54) to the worship.

When we are told to speak to one another in songs and hymns and spiritual songs, (25:04) singing and making melody in your hearts and to the Lord, (25:11) that the instrument there is the heart that we make a melody. But then (25:24) if we can sing without the mechanical music, and we can pray to God, we can (25:38) take of the Lord’s supper, we can take up the collection and such. We can do that in any order.

(25:56) But when we decide that we’re going to change, you know, things, certainly with the (26:09) Lord’s supper, we do it on the first day of the week. Somebody’s going to say, well, that’s (26:17) that’s too often. Well, you know, you take the collection every time they beat through the week.

(26:27) Doesn’t that, isn’t that too often? I mean, the Lord says it’s upon, if this says according to (26:38) 1 Corinthians 16, verse 2, on the first day of the week, (26:44) let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, (26:52) that there be no collections when I come, to be ready to have that there when he comes. (27:06) And there won’t be, wouldn’t be any need to take up a collection when he arrives. (27:14) And then the work I’m doing, too, is to go through the effort.

(27:25) Well, I don’t think I ought to go through such and such, you know, and all that. (27:35) You know, like this ought to be changed. And that’s according to how I feel.

(27:51) But that’s not, that’s not the correct way to do it. Notice that Paul starts verse 6 of (28:06) 2 Thessalonians 3, but we command you, command you, brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (28:22) In other words, in his name that he’s given this, this command, according to the authorization (28:36) of Jesus.

In other words, if we’re not willing to stick to what is supposed to be done, (28:50) we’re supposed to withdraw from them. We’re supposed to, if they’re not going to (29:02) follow the instruction. And he says, which he received from us.

And you know, people (29:15) want to say that, or at least one said it, that the apostles got things wrong. (29:27) But when Jesus told them that when he departed from them, that would be after his resurrection, (29:39) that he would go back to the Father, that he would send the Holy Spirit. (29:53) And he’s referred to as the helper.

He’s referred to as the Spirit of Truth. (30:02) And he shall guide you into all truth. He told them, his disciples.

(30:11) Now, if they got all things wrong, what does that say about the Holy Spirit? (30:18) We better, we better not think about that. Because it’s the Holy Spirit that is (30:26) leading these men. And they are writing, they are handing these traditions down.

(30:37) And also they are writing these things down. And so, you know, we are (30:49) in John 4, 23 and 24. Jesus is talking to this Samaritan woman.

And she makes a statement (31:14) in verse 20. She said, our fathers worshiped on this mountain. And you Jews say that in Jerusalem (31:25) is the place where one ought to worship.

Jesus said to her, woman, believe me, (31:36) the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. (31:47) You worship what you do not know. We worship, we know what we worship, (31:56) for salvation is of the Jews.

But the hour is coming, and now is, (32:06) when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. (32:13) For the Father is seeking such to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must, (32:23) must worship him in spirit and truth.

So we need to have the right spirit, we need to have the right (32:36) attitude, and we need to do it according to the truth. And as I say, the spirit, the Holy Spirit, (32:49) the spirit of truth, guided these men to hand these things down, guided as men of Paul, (33:06) what they were supposed to do. And we need to follow that.

It’s from the Word. (33:19) But now the conclusion, following the faith, system of faith, (33:31) we will be holding the traditions taught by the apostles. And it could be the lifestyle we choose.

(33:48) We may choose an unholy lifestyle, but we’re going to, we need to realize that (33:57) that’s not going to do us any good. But we need to follow the faith, keep the faith. (34:09) You know, I heard that phrase, and that stuck with me.

Keep the faith, keep the faith, (34:23) even when it’s saying that I was just all by myself. But then again, (34:32) there is the teaching on how to be saved. We’re supposed to, when we hear the word believe, (34:50) we are to repent of sins once we hear that we need to depart sin.

(35:02) We need to repent. Jesus said that you confess me before men, I will confess you before my Father, (35:15) which is in heaven. And we need to be baptized for our sins.

There are those that (35:30) want to latch on to just one thing, want to latch on to one part, faith, faith only. (35:44) But we got things. Faith will lead us to turn away from sin.

Faith will lead us to repent. (35:56) Faith will lead us to confess our faith in Christ Jesus if we do believe that Jesus is the Christ, (36:05) the Son of God. And then if we are baptized for the remission of our sins, we will be saved as (36:19) Mark 16, 15, and 16 says.

He that believes and is baptized will be saved. (36:28) Then we are to be faithful until the end. We need to stay, we need to keep following Jesus (36:44) once we do the things that we need to do to come into salvation.

We need to stay saved. (37:00) And then if we depart the faith, we need to come back and let the church pray for us. (37:11) We need to come back to God.

And we need to let God restore us to Him. (37:24) If we’re, if anybody’s subject to the gospel invitation in any way, (37:31) then let us do so now. Come forth while we stand and sing. (37:41)